


The Waiting Game

by MissLuxe



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:28:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25655905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissLuxe/pseuds/MissLuxe
Summary: They had to rush the job, and come out of the river with a week left before they wake. The Point Man and the Architect find themselves trapped in a dream with only each other as company as they wait for the projections to close in.
Relationships: Ariadne/Arthur (Inception)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 42





	1. Ariadne

“What happened?” Arthur asks once they’ve pulled themselves up onto the rocks under the bridge.

“Cobb stayed.” Ariadne gasps, sucking in deep breaths as quickly as she can handle. A small part of her at the back of her mind is impressed that even soaking wet and panting he was already beginning to compose himself. The rest of her is still reeling from her whirlwind through Limbo and the other Dreamscapes. Her hand finds the bishop in her pocket and she palms it, even though the unfamiliar weight of it provides little in the way of reassurance.

“With Mal?”

“No. To find Saito.”

Arthur’s shoulders drop - so slightly that she might not have noticed it if she hadn’t spent so much time preparing with him - and he gazes out over the water.

“He’ll be lost…”

“No. He’ll be alright.”

He turns back to look at her, eyes searching. Whatever he sees must be satisfactory, because he gives her his little smirk and stands to examine their surroundings. Ariadne tears herself from the swirling thoughts of Limbo to focus instead on their current situation and next steps for survival. She’s faintly surprised to find herself shivering, the wind and rain biting at her exposed skin and a chill creeping through her wet clothes.

“There’s Yusuf,” Arthur is pointing a little ways down the bank to the man huddled next to the water. “Doesn’t look like he’s ready to move anytime soon. We better get over there. Here.”

He offers a hand and she allows him to pull her up - “Thanks.” - before they stumble their way over to the Chemist.

“Are you alright?” Ariadne asks once they reach him.

Yusuf nods, coughing.

“Fine. Not doing this again anytime soon.” He looks to Arthur. “What’s our next move? This isn’t what we planned.”

The Point Man shakes his head.

“You’re right about that; we were supposed to have a day or two left, tops. With our accelerated timeline, only a few hours have passed on this level. We’ve got most of a week left.”

“Well what does that mean?” Ariadne asks.

“It means we’re playing a waiting game. We don’t have to worry about Cobb and Saito, leaving Limbo for them should mean waking up with the rest of us in the real world, but _we_ have to make it until then without getting killed by Fischer’s projections. You kept the safehouses you designed in?”

“Yes, of course. But like you said, we were only supposed to be here for a couple days; I don’t know if they can keep us safe for that long.”

“Let’s hope they can. If not… We’ll worry about that when we get to it. Right now we need to get moving before Fischer’s subconscious stumbles across us.”

“You’re- Wait, why _haven’t_ we seen any projections yet?”

“They can sense that Fischer’s out of danger now,” Yusuf speaks up. “But sooner or later they’ll start looking for me again. Eames will be fine as long as Fischer thinks he’s Browning, and so will the two of you as long as you don’t draw any attention away from the hunt for me. That’s why I had you put my hiding place in the train tunnels, remember?”

She nods.

“Of course, sorry, I just- I guess I’m a little disoriented.” She jumps a little as a weight settles across her shoulders, and Arthur raises his hands as if to keep from spooking her, an odd look in his eye. Ariadne gives him a small, sheepish smile in return and wraps his wrung-out jacket more tightly around herself.

“It’ll pass. We went pretty deep, and it’s your first real job,” Arthur says. He turns to Yusuf. “Are you ready?”

He stands in response.

“I know where to go. If all goes alright, next time I’ll see you is back on the plane. Good luck.” With that, he turns and staggers away.

Ariadne bites her lip as Arthur leads her up the riverbank in the other direction, already puzzling things out in her head like a new building she needed to plan.

“I'll show you how to get to the place I designed for you from here, and then from there it isn’t too far to-”

“No.”

He had stopped and turned so abruptly that she stumbles face-first into his chest and he has to grab her to steady her. She jerks back at the sudden contact and finds Arthur staring down at her with a hard set to his jaw.

“No? What do you mean, ‘no’?”

“You’re staying with me.”

Ariadne bristles at the blatant order. He’s never directed such intensity toward her before.

“I am _not_. Cobb said we attract much less attention separated.”

“I don’t care what Cobb said, you’re staying with me. There’s no way you’ll be able to protect yourself if the projections get hostile.”

He does have a point, but…

“You don’t get to order me around,” She says, wrenching herself out of his grip. “I know this Dreamscape better than you, and I can find a place to hide.”

“Ariadne, this isn’t up for discussion; either you come with me, or I’m picking you up and taking you.”

Ariadne snorts derisively.

“You wouldn’t. It would attract way too much attention.”

“Then don’t make me.”

They stare at each other, Arthur stern and Ariadne glowering, until finally she huffs and opens her mouth to speak. He doesn’t wait to hear it, simply turning and striding off so that she’s forced to scramble to catch up with him. She’s fairly certain he’s smirking, the thought making her glare at his back.

Any emotion that the Point Man might have been showing has dropped by the time they enter the city. Ariadne, skittish around the projections they pass and trying her hardest not to show it, is startled when he wraps an arm around her, pulls her close, and gazes down at her with that lopsided grin of his. She feels herself flush at the sudden intimacy and immediately wants to pull away, but she recognizes what he’s doing and stays where she is. None of the projections give them more than a once-over for their sopping clothes, but those are easily dismissed as a product of the storm and they arrive at the desk of the hotel with no issues.

It’s only once Arthur has confirmed his reservation, accepted his roomkey, and steered her into the elevator that they separate. Despite her lingering anger, Ariadne can’t help but miss the heat he’d provided as her shivers become more intense.

“I must admit I haven’t actually seen any of this before.” Arthur breaks the silence.

“You haven’t? I thought Yusuf showed you?” She’s surprised, and suddenly a little nervous at the idea of witnessing his first reaction to the ‘safehouse’ she’d designed specifically for him.

Arthur shakes his head.

“He assured me it would work, and there were too many other details to get right for the job. All I had time to do was memorize the location,” He glances at her. “I am eager to see it, though.”

As if on cue, the elevator chimes and opens to a short hallway containing three ornate doors, the outer two bearing ‘exit’ and ‘stair’ signs. Arthur gives them each a cursory examination before opening the door straight ahead of them. Ariadne hangs back, observing as he takes it in.

She had carefully designed the suite to suit him. Or, at least, her perception of what would suit him. It echoes the art deco and modern style of the rest of the building, all sleek lines and hints of glamour. Functionally, there are polished and reflective surfaces everywhere to provide Arthur with easy defence as well as a concrete-lined chamber accessed through a trapdoor under the bed that he could theoretically lock himself in until the sedative wore off.

The suite is equipped with a living room, kitchen, bathroom, sauna, and bedroom, all screaming easy luxury. Arthur gazes about, moving through the place methodically until he finally ends at the large windows - plexiglass - to peer out over the city.

“You did an incredible job,” He remarks as Ariadne closes and locks the door behind her. “Maybe even better than Cobb when he started.”

“Thanks.” She doesn’t really know what else to say; the Point Man doesn’t hand out compliments lightly and his words give her a warm feeling despite herself.

“You should go take a bath; you’re shivering. I can slip some dry clothes outside the door for you.”

She doesn’t bother arguing, since she really _is_ quite cold and her clothes are dripping all over the plush carpet. Soon she’s sinking into hot water in a bathtub big enough for a horse and a bathroom bigger than her whole apartment. She takes a deep breath, relaxing into the bath as her shivers gradually fade, and her mind turns unbidden to the man in the other room. She’s still outraged at being ordered around, and determined to confront him about it later, but he makes it hard to hang onto the feeling for long periods of time. She just finds him so… fascinating. From the moment she met him he’s been like a maze she can’t solve. It gives her a thrill down her spine when he let slip a detail about himself that she can add to her understanding of him. And yes, she finds him attractive - how could anyone not? - but it’s so much _more_ than that that draws her to him. The worst part is she suspects he knows how he affects her, what with those sly looks he sometimes sends her way and his tendency to get _just_ close enough to make her nervous. Even now, the idea of laying naked one room away from him sends some feeling - whether she refuses to name it or simply lacks the ability to, she isn’t sure - coursing through her.

Ariadne shakes her head as if she can physically clear Arthur from her mind and idly swirls the water around with her hand. She can’t afford to be preoccupied with such thoughts when they have to spend a week together in this dream. Trying not to die and go back to _that place_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! I just watch the movie for the first time and I was so obsessed with the dynamic between Arthur and Ariadne (plus the actors are both so attractive) so I just had to write this. Please let me know what you thought!
> 
> Much love, Miss Luxe


	2. Arthur

Arthur releases a heavy sigh and leans against the dresser as he hears the faucet begin to run. This is  _ not _ how anything was supposed to have gone, and unexpected changes are the bane of a Point Man’s existence. He’d known that this job wouldn’t be easy, wouldn’t have attempted it if he didn’t have such trust in Cobb, but for things to have gone  _ this  _ wrong… He’s still kicking himself for missing the sub-security detail and how much it had cost them. But it isn’t any of those things, or the constant threat of discovery by the projections, that unsettle him the most. No, that title would have to be given to this damn hotel suite and the Architect currently bathing inside it.

Arthur makes it a point to play his cards close to his chest. Cobb is his closest friend and easily the person who knows the most about him. He prefers to maintain an air of mystery and anonymity while his partner serves as the face of their operation; it gives him an edge when they have to go on the run or extract from a subject who has encountered them before. So this suite, with its closet of suits in exactly his style, box of his favorite biscotti in the cupboard, and shelf featuring some of his favorite books, makes him feel oddly exposed. How could Ariadne have pegged him so perfectly? He almost would think she’d stalked him if he wasn’t as observant as he is, and therefore certain that such a thing was beyond her. But mere guesses can’t explain the level of detail, either.

He knows he must intrigue her, based on the number of times he’s caught her furtive glances - a habit he  _ might _ only have noticed because he was guilty of the same - as well as her reactions to him. He’ll never admit it, but he finds her equally captivating, with her odd mixture of innocence and maturity and the way her mind creates elaborate cities like it’s nothing. Her petite size doesn’t help matters, looking like a particularly strong wind might blow her away. Arthur had become protective of her before he’d even known it; fear and anger had gripped him in turns when he learned Cobb was bringing her into the dream with them. And when he’d revealed the results that dying would have… Arthur had come very close to punching the man. His careful self-control slips far too easily when she’s involved, which is not helpful now that they have to spend a week cooped up here together. Not that he would have let her go with anyone else, regardless of how mad she might feel about it. Eames is far too rough and  _ far _ too interested, Yusuf too much of an unknown, Saito needing protection himself, and Cobb has been proven to take far too many risks where Ariadne is concerned. Not to mention that the latter two are in Limbo.

At some point during his musings, Arthur had changed from his wet clothes into a clean suit he had found. He orders his thoughts, filing them away for later with practised ease. The water is no longer running, has not been for a while, and he casts about to find a change of clothes in case Ariadne is getting out of the bath soon. The best he finds is a white undershirt and pair of pajama pants that she can tighten with a drawstring. He’s mildly amused that she seems to think he even sleeps in suits, albeit suits of the silk pajama variety. He’ll have to pick up something to lounge in when they venture out to find her some spare sets of clothes. He gathers the little bundle and moves to the bathroom door, knocking lightly to give her some warning before he slips the clothes in; it hadn’t escaped his notice how jumpy she’d been after emerging from the river. When there is no reply, he knocks a little louder.

“Ariadne?”

Still nothing. He hesitates. She  _ has _ to be able to hear him. He can’t just burst in, but… Well, she’s good at getting herself into trouble. He knocks one more time and again receives no answer.

“Ariadne, I’m coming in!”

A thick cloud of steam greets him when he pushes open the door and he has to wave a hand around to disperse it. When he can see through it enough to find her, he pauses.

“Ariadne?”

The Architect’s head and the top of her shoulders are all that can be seen above the mass of bubbles in the tub, and Arthur is momentarily relieved to find she hasn’t drowned. Then he notices the way she’s twitching, as if she means to thrash about but is bound too tightly. He risks a step closer, keeping his eyes dutifully above the waterline, until he can see the distressed expression twisting her features. She twitches again and mumbles something inaudible, and he closes the distance between them.

“Ariadne. Ariadne, wake up,” He kneels beside her, gently shaking her shoulder. “Ariadne.”

Her body jolts and the water sloshes around, her eyes flying open as one hand finds its way to his arm, clinging tight.

“Ar-Arthur?” She gasps. Her eyes dart around the room. “What-?”

“Hey, hey, hey, you’re okay; you were sleeping.”

She still struggles to breathe, so Arthur uses his free hand to guide her into sitting up. Ariadne takes a shuddering breath.

“I thought- I thought we couldn’t dream if we fell asleep.”

“You can’t,” Arthur absently smoothes back her damp hair. “Anything you see if you fall asleep naturally in a dream is just a memory. They feel realer because you’re already closer to your subconscious, but your mind can’t make up anything new.”

She audibly swallows.

“So we can’t go to Limbo from here?”

“Not without dying.”

“Okay. That’s- Okay.” She’s nodding over and over again without seeming to realize it.

He studies her, the slight glaze to her eyes, flush of her cheeks, beads of sweat gathering at the nape of her neck. A tear has leaked its way from the corner of her eye. She still hasn’t let go of him.

“Ariadne… What did you see?”

“Nothing,” Comes the automatic response. She visibly catches herself, giving him a long look as if trying to decide whether or not to trust him. “I thought I was in Limbo.”

Arthur lets himself relax.  _ Of course _ she’s afraid of Limbo; they’d spent the whole of the mission hyper-aware of the dangers it presented. Hell, Cobb seems to view her as a protégé and he’s the posterboy for how Limbo could fuck up your life. A first Extraction is bound to be distressing and confusing enough, let alone an Inception with all the added pressure. The Architect is simply experiencing the most stressful parts of what she’s just been through. Except, how would that explain…?

“Ariadne,” He says slowly. “Did you go to Limbo? With Cobb?”

It isn’t possible. Cobb wouldn’t -  _ couldn’t  _ \- be so reckless. She wouldn’t be sitting here with him.

But then why isn’t she looking him in the eye?

“Ariadne.” Arthur has to fight to keep his voice even.

A small choking noise escapes her, and it’s all the answer he needs. He stares.

“What happened?”

Ariadne’s eyes are trained on some imperceivable point ahead of her. For a long moment he doesn’t think she’ll respond at all.

“It was my idea. Mal showed up and shot Fischer, so I… I said there was still a chance we could go down into Limbo and get him. Cobb agreed.”

“Ariadne, you don’t have to-”

She cuts him off with a shake of her head.

“It was so...beautiful, Arthur. And frightening. Pure creation. I could feel it pulling at me. Then the kick happened and it all started falling apart and I had to jump-”

She’s getting worked up again, her grip on his arm tighter than he would have thought someone of her stature could manage.

“Hey, hey, it’s alright. You don’t have to talk about it anymore, and you don’t ever have to go back.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do. I’m not going to let anything happen to you; here, or up there.”

She finally looks at him then, staring up with an expression he can’t read. It could be wonder just as easily as doubt. He returns her gaze, giving her what he hopes comes across as a reassuring smile. She nods slowly, then breaks eye contact and looks away, blinking rapidly.

It’s then that Ariadne realizes where they are and what she’s wearing - or not wearing. She makes a noise and sinks lower into the water, hands flying to cover her chest as her face goes from pale to flushed pink in milliseconds.

“Oh, my God.”

Arthur averts his eyes and pushes himself up, rubbing lightly at his arm where the blood is beginning to recirculate. He’s mildly annoyed to feel his cheeks warmer than usual.

“I’ll, uh, leave these here,” He says, indicating the bundle of clothes that lay forgotten by the door. “Let me know if you need anything.”

He’s almost out the door when she calls out.

“Arthur. Thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! This is my first time writing in present-tense, so forgive me if I make a few errors as I figure it out. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite movies. Please review!
> 
> Much love, Miss Luxe

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! I just watch the movie for the first time and I was so obsessed with the dynamic between Arthur and Ariadne (plus the actors are both so attractive) so I just had to write this. Please let me know what you thought!


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